Time After Time
by Geogirl
Summary: Sara and Conchobar's lives intertwine through time.
1. Present

Time After Time

By GeoGirl

Disclaimer: Witchblade and its characters are the property of TNT, Top Cow Productions, etc.  They are not mine; just thought I'd play in their playground a bit.

A/N:  Several times during "Palindrome" Conchobar states that he's missed Sara.  This got me thinking about past lives.  Sure, their past lives intertwined as Conchobar and Cathain.  But what if they met in other lives too?

Day after day she came and sat in Room 511 by his bedside.  Talking to him of her day, her dreams and what they would do when he woke up.  He was a good listener and she was able to pour out thoughts to him that she couldn't to Danny, Jake or even Gabriel.  Sometimes she could only spend a few minutes, other times she'd site for hours.  The staff of St. Joan's Medical Center got to know the quirks of this homicide cop.  The floor nurses would bring her coffee when she had one of her marathon session.

"Hi Honey, how was your day?  Mine was the same old shit.  I'd wish you would wake soon.  I would really like to hear the rest of the song you wrote about me.  By the way, there is a Celtic Exhibit at the Midtown Museum and I could use a guide.  

Today, Danny and I were following up on the murder I told you of yesterday.  We met with the deceased friends to find out why he might have at the biker bar by himself."

She leaned over, as was her habit, and grasped his hand while she relayed the events of the day.  She leaned in closed to the bed and began speaking in a hushed tone.  

"I had another one of those dreams last night.  I went to see you at a nightclub where you were singing.  We hadn't met before, but you bought me a beer.  As we sat at the bar, one of your admiring fans came and interrupted our conversation.  You told her that it was rude to interrupt a man talking to his wife."

Sara felt the slightest brush of Conchobar's thumb across her hand and she would have sworn that a small smile graced his lips.  She knew that he did this often and didn't even bother to call the nurse this time.

The stone began swirling in color and pulled Sara into another daydream.

_"Come back to bed, luv. I'm a might cold."  He eyed her from the bed, nodding toward her side._

_"You are a bad influence on me."  She finished getting dressed.  "I need to get to work."_

_"Aye lass, a bad influence I am and you love it."  He nodded and gave her a small wicked smile.  As she walked out the door she heard him humming softly to himself the song that he was writing for her._

_She walked in the door or her apartment and all of the other policemen stepped back and silently watched.  She looked around and noticed the broken mirror and furniture.  His guitar was in a corner, fairly undamaged.  But where was Conchobar?_

_The image changed to Conchobar tied up in a warehouse with several men and one woman standing around.  The woman shot John in the leg and Sara couldn't stop her._

_"I want your pretty bracelet" the woman leered.  She was Irish, as were the rest of the men.  They meant to do Conchobar harm and she couldn't stop them.  _

_Next he was lying on the floor dying, and she cradled his head in her arms.  Wailing, trying to will him not to die._


	2. Past

He felt her hand in his and heard portions of the tale she was spinning of the days events.  Her voice sounded like he was listening fro under water, slurry and muffled.  But if he listened hard enough, he could make out words and phrases.  No matter how hard he tired to break through the fog that surrounded him, he couldn't reach her.  

Then she spoke of a dream and her voice became clearer and the phrases became sentences.  It was the same dream he often had.  She had come to question him about a murder at a gig he was headlining.  He knew her then, too, even before she introduced herself.  He was certain that when he called her his wife, that it was only a matter of time.

He saw them spending the day in her bed followed by images of him singing and playing for her amidst candlelight. He saw scenes of them walking around the city, hand in hand.  Pictures of them picnicking on her living room floor on a cold winter's night and tender moments of them making love by candlelight passed behind his eyelids.

Then he started to remember another time…

1893

_The trolley car dropped Magdalena off one block from the piecework factory where she worked.  It looked like it would be a bright sunny day in Boston, a rare one, and Magdalena enjoyed sight of the rising sun.  _

_Today was payday and Momma and Pappa needed her money to pay the rent.  It was not that Pappa wasn't trying to get work, but many of the companies were wary of hiring Italians recently off the boat.  Magdalena was lucky to get the sewing work, and she was learning English from the other girls in the factory._

When her twelve hours were finished, the sun was just dropping in the sky and she walked with Annabelle and Rosetta to the trolley stop.  A poliziotto, policeman, was strolling by and he tipped his cap to the girls.  They giggled and bowed their heads.  Magdalena's straw hat caught in a sudden gust of wind and blew off toward an oncoming trolley.  The poliziotto ran into the road and grabbed her hat before it was crushed.  

_He presented the hat to her, with flourish,  "Here is your wayward hat, Miss.  I hope it was not damaged beyond repair."_

_Magdalena bobbed a small curtsey and took the hat from him.  "Thank you, sir", she stammered, hoping her accent hadn't kept him from understanding her._

_"Officer Colum McMullen at your service.  May I escort you back to the trolley stop?_

_She nodded her head and put her hand in the crook of the arm he offered.  She felt a sense of calm and peace, walking with him, and knew that she wanted to talk with him more._

_"Miss?"_

_"Contario, Magdalena Contario."_

_He took her hand and, with flourish, kissed it.  "May I walk you to the trolley tomorrow?"_

_She nodded and dipped her head as she joined her friends on the trolley.  She knew he was being forward.  You just did not accept an invitation from a gentleman for a walk, without her parents' permission.  Even if you were poliziotto.  _

_She gave a small wave to the officer as the trolley pulled away and sat to try to explain to Annabelle and Rosetta what had just happened._

_How would she tell Momma and Poppa that she just met the man she would marry and that he was Irish, not Italian?_

She couldn't wait until tomorrow to see her blue-eyed poliziotto again.

Day after day, he would meet her outside of the piecework factory to walk her to the trolley.  They would talk of the day and their families and she grew more in love with him.  

Today he was late.  There had been a trolley accident earlier that had occupied his time.  He hurried down the road toward the factory when the clanging of bells came down the road.  A fire brigade was on its way somewhere in a hurry.  Shouting could be heard and he started to smell the smoke of burning materials.

As he turned to corner, he saw that the factory was on fire.  He ran toward the fire brigade and the crowd of seamstresses that congregated in the street.  Screaming was heard from inside the building.  After agonizing moments of searching he saw Magdalena's friends in the crowd; however he didn't see her.  They were crying hysterically and when he approached, they began crying harder and attempting to speak between wails.  

"She…she went" pointing into the inferno that had engulfed the factory.

Colum realized that Magdalena had gone back in to save her coworkers.  He ran toward the brigade to get inside.  Members of the fire brigade grabbed his arms, restraining him as smoke poured out of the front door.

"No.  You canna go in.  It is far too dangerous.  No one can go in, we canna do anything now."

"No NO.  She's in there.  NO I have to go in."  

"NO.  MAGDALENA NO". as he collapsed in front of the smoldering building. 


	3. Further Back

Sara woke with a start, tears streaming down her face.  "Oh John, I knew that we had met before."  She lay on her bed, tangled in the covers, softly sobbing.  Soon she quieted and got up for a glass of water.  She tried to shake off the image in her mind and sat by the window and stared out the window.  

Ian had been watching from the fire escape and when she came to the window, he ducked into the shadows.  Though he wasn't a party to her visions and dreams; he knew what had transpire had caused tears.  He would have liked to think they were tears of happiness; but he knew that she was probably remembering something sad.  The way she had tossed and turned in her bed and the way she cried out, this was not a pleasant memory.   He knew that she had been affected by meeting Conchobar, and he understood that this man embodied a past love.   He watched for a while longer as she drifted back to sleep and the glow of the Witchblade began again.  

This time Sara seemed less agitated, more calm.  A small smile graced her lips and Ian hoped that this was a happier memory.  His cell phone rang and he slipped away into the night as he was recalled to the mansion. 

1682

"Pappa, Pappa, who is that little girl?"  He tugged on his father's sleeve as the strolled through the market.  A traveling group of gypsies had come to town and were making market day more interesting to 12-year-old Gustav.

"Come Gustav.  The gypsies are not to be noticed.  The little girl is no one of consequence.  Be on your way!" He shouted to the group of gypsy children flocking around the townsfolk.

Eight-year-old Sophia watched the boy as he walked away with his father.  The boy kept turning back and she braved a small wave.  He smiled at her and moved toward his father and the livestock area.

The stream was clear and running swift when Sophie went to clean the dishes from the morning meal, as was her chore.   She was about to finish the task and return to the caravan when she heard someone whistling a tune, off key.  She hid in the tall weeds near the bank of the stream and peeked to see who was coming.  The boy she had noticed at the market walked by, fishing pole in hand.  He paused as he passed the weeds.  

"Come out girl" he whispered.  She slowly parted the reeds and stepped out into the path.  "I know who you are."  

"Yes Sir?" Sophie inquired.

"You are the girl from the from the market.  I saw you.  What is your name?"  He tried to sound much older than his years.  She did not know him, but Sophie knew that he would never harm her.  

"Sophie, Sir". She gave a small curtsey.  Gustav waved his hand as if to shoo away any pretense of propriety.

"I am pleased to make your acquaintance Sophie.  I am Gustav and we are going to be great friends.  I know it."

He extended his hand and she took it and smiled.

***

Ian stood in the doorway of Room 511, as he had for the past few weeks.  He had decided that he should watch over Sara's love during the day, while she was at work.  The nurses had finally learned to move around him without cringing with fear.  He exuded such a menacing presence, even when he tried not to.  He was helping the only way he could.  He didn't mean to frighten the hospital staff.  It was the last thing that he wanted.

"What are you doing here?  Has Irons decided that John is distracting me from my duties?"  Her tone was menacing and her look threw daggers at him.

"No, Lady Sara."  He said softly, bowing his head.  "I was only checking to see that he was receiving the best care and that no one would harm him." 

"Harm him?  Why would anyone harm him?  He's a songwriter.  How could have he have done anything to make someone want to hurt him?"  She spoke softly, moving slowly toward him like a great cat stalking prey.

"Only his brother's circle of acquaintances back in Ireland had many enemies; some of which were in the government.  But it is of no consequence now."  He backed away slowly and when she looked away for a moment, he vanished. 

She shook her head, exasperated.  Would Nottingham every finish an entire conversation without leaving?  She moved into John's room and sat down next to him.

She tried several times to start her diatribe on the day's events, but couldn't seem to get the words out.  Sara stood up and took off her jacket and placed it on the back of the chair.  She began to pace around the room, starting and stopping several conversations.  The floor nurse walked by the room and noticed the detective pacing, her firearm visible.  She silently closed the door to the room, so that the sight of the armed detective wouldn't make any of the other patients or visitors uncomfortable.

Sara had not felt comfortable all day, nothing fit and everything and everyone rubbed her the wrong way.  She had not slept well and the Witchblade had been sending her visions off and on throughout the evening.  Most were about Conchobar from the past and some seemed to be familiar events that she knew had never happened.  Her mind was whirling with the images, some were happy and some made her cry; most left her completely confused.

He was reaching out to her mind as he had physically reached for her in the visions.  She heard his voice in her head, as if far in the distance and calling her name.  Gingerly, she lay down on the bed beside him, placing her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest.  She looked at his peaceful face, gladly noting that the bruises and cuts had healed without many scars.  She leaned over and kissed his cheek, laid her head on his shoulder and proceeded to quickly fall asleep.


	4. Future

He felt her lay down with him and felt her hand upon his chest.  Warmth passed through her hand into his heart and mind.   And the images began again.

***

Sara and he were carrying boxes up the stairs into her apartment.  His guitars were already there and many of his clothes were strewn across her bed.  Danny and Jake followed with more boxes, finding room for his belongings amongst hers.  As soon as the train of bodies and boxes up the stairs ceased, they all sat sharing a pint.  Aye, the lads were drinking the light stuff.  Sara was teasing him for drinking sewer sludge.  She came and sat on his lap and stole a drink from his glass and planted a warm, bitter kiss on his lips.  The lads teased her about public displays of affection.  Gabriel showed up with pizzas and more beer and soon a full-blown party was in the works.   

***

He saw her looking out the window and waving to him on the street.  He was paying the taxi and gathered his guitar.  He bounded up the stairs and she practically jumped in his arms as he came through the door.

"Miss me then lass?"  He laughed through he kisses.  Somewhere to the bed, he dropped the guitar and had his clothes expertly removed.

"You were gone too long," she pouted.  

"Aye, I was.  But is 'twas a grand trip.  We sold out all of the gigs we played and even had groupies following us around from City to City."  

"Groupies?  She punched his arm.  

"I told them all I was taken by a green-eyed witch that would curse them all if I strayed."

"Curse them?  No, it is you that I cursed, so that you only want me."  She waggled her fingers at him, to send the spell home.

"A witch you are lass, for I'm definitely under your spell" and he leaned in for another kiss.

***

They were lying on the bed facing each other, but not touching.   

Between them was a small baby, sleeping contently as Sara gently stroked its head.  The bracelet on her arm glowed and he covered her hand with his.  He leaned over the sleeping child and placed a kiss on her forehead.   

He felt such a sense of completeness and contentment, such that he had never felt before.  He knew that this was the future if he chose to take it.  

***

Slowly the fog began to clear.  He reached out toward her again, through the fog.     

Suddenly he was looking up through water towards a bright light.  The surface seemed so near and attainable.  Slowly, he began to swim to the surface.

***

She jolted awake and lifted up onto her elbow.  She felt him stir and knew he was trying to come back to her.  She willed him to keep trying.  Stroking his cheek, she whispered, "Come on love.  Keep trying.  I'm waiting for you."  

He was trying to wake up, the light was so close, and he reached out to touch it.  He was returning to her.  To start the future that they had just witnessed.  

Slowly, his eyelids fluttered and he slowly opened his eyes.  He quickly shut them again, the light was blinding.  Again, he attempted to open his eyes, and the light was not as bright.  He desperately tried to focus on the shadow that was before him.  He blinked again, seeing her face, those green eyes, he dreamt of filled with tears.

"Oh Conchobar, I missed you" and she leaned in and kissed his lips.


End file.
